Riding the coattails of the craft beer movement, national cider sales grew 65 percent last year. Locally, hard cider is showing up alongside beer in bars and pubs. It’s on tap at some spots.

The most popular ciders on the bar scene have wide national distribution, but small-batch, handmade ciders are on the rise too. Soon, Dallas will have a locally made artisan cider from Bishop Cider Co., scheduled to open in the Bishop Arts District this summer.

Gary Brenders, bar manager at the Ginger Man near the Quadrangle, says customers on gluten-free diets request cider as an alternative to beer. The easy-drinking quality of this refreshing, fruity drink wins over most thirsty patrons. Cider is also used as a base for cocktails at some bars.

If you’re cider newbie, read on for a fresh look at hard cider, and scroll through the gallery above for 5 hard ciders you need to try. Most of them are widely available at liquor stores, specialty stores and some supermarkets.

What is hard cider?

Cider is a fermented fruit juice, usually made from a blend of apple varieties. It’s typically spritzy, but often not as highly carbonated as beer. American styles range from very sweet to sweet-tart with a crisp dry finish. The Basque ciders from northern Spain have a mouth-puckering tartness, and are not at all sweet.

Cider pairings

Serve drier styles with pork dishes, aged cheddars or Camembert cheese. Sweeter ciders make a refreshing counterpoint to very spicy Thai, Indian or Mexican dishes; they also make a good alternative to moscato.